Reliving The Past
by Stargate-Lover-Steph
Summary: A trip to the beach leads to Brody opening up about events from her past. (Torture in coming chapters) (Prody)
1. Chapter 1

**AN-Right then, before I start there are a few warnings here which I need to put up. This does contain Torture in the coming chapters and it does get graphic. It was something I wrote as a complete accident when I wrote another fic. As it didn't really fit with the other thing I took it out and have now expanded it to this**. **Each chapter is short and there is only 4 of them. I did promise when I put this right I would share it for PinkAngel17 to read. I now just have to avoid the various objects the wonderful BonesBird will throw at me as she has read the original but not this version. So as always please read and review to let me know what you all think.**

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They had spent an amazing morning at the beach, just being themselves. As he covered her back and arms in sun cream to stop her burning, he noticed very faint white lines across her back. He had a fair idea what they were from, but now he saw how many she had, he wouldn't settle until she told him. He knew they weren't the only scars she had on her body and he understood that in this line of work they were inevitable. He had his fair share of scars from gunshot wounds to binding marks and the odd knife attack. Up until he saw the ones on her back, he had never really thought about what she had done before he meet her, what jobs she had been assigned. He had read her file and he had seen she had been shot a couple of times, but there wasn't really much else due to the fact she had done classified work on more than one occasion. She felt his fingers linger on her back and she knew then he had seen the scars. She knew he would ask, push for answers and she had no reason not to tell him.

They had talked about making their way back up to a small cafe they had passed and getting some lunch before maybe coming back when they were down. She hoped by suggesting getting lunch she would put him off asking. As they walked up to the cafe, he sensed a change in her mood and he had no idea what caused it. He felt her tense at his side as a horse and carriage drew passed them and the driver made a cracking noise with his whip.

"What's bothering you? I can't help if you don't tell me." Placing a kiss to her temple as they walked.

"Nothing really." Seeing the raised eyebrow look she was getting for giving the 'nothing' answer. "Just remembering stuff that I wish I could forget." Finally turning to look at him as she spoke.

"Does this have anything to do with the scars on you back as well as the one on your thigh and the ones on your ankles?" Seeing the shocked look on her face when he mentioned the scars.

"You did see them. I didn't think they were still that noticeable. I thought I hid the rest of them better than that." Looking down at the path as they continued to walk.

"Well? I won't give up till I get something from you or I can call Gibbs and see what he will give me. Or if that fails I will pass you both and speak to Vance." Making sure he made a point of telling her he would push.

"I can't tell you too much as you know it was and still is classified. The best it can do is tell you that I was taken hostage and tortured. It was Gibbs who saved me, but not before I received the injuries you're on about." As she stopped walking and stepped back away from the path.

"Is this in your NCIS jacket? I haven't read any file about it." Moving off the path to join her.

"It is, but not that you will see it. It's part of my medical file, which as far as I know, you won't have unless you ask for it. Before you bother I will tell you what that contains as I know you will now be bugged enough to go back and ask for a copy for some reason that you will make up. After lunch, we will go sit back on the beach and I promise I will tell you what you want to know but here is not the place. Plus as you know, I have never been good at sharing that sort of stuff." Taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.

He looked down at their joined hand then up at her face. He could see that whatever she was going to tell him he was not going to like one bit. They both had stuff in their past that the other had no idea of, but now he was not sure if he wanted to know this piece of Brody's past. He did the only thing he could think of doing and nodded his head in agreement as he gave her hand a squeeze. Nodding her head in return she led him back onto the path and in the direction of the cafe. They stayed holding hands till they were seated in the cafe where they were facing each other. After looking at the menu, Pride went and ordered and came back carrying a tray with two large coffees on. Setting the tray down, he sat back down and reached across the table taking Brody's hand and running his fingers over her knuckles.

They sat in silence as their fingers moved against each other's as they held hands across the table. Their lunch soon arrived and as they sat eating they did talk but they avoided the conversation they both knew was coming. Brody did her best as she ate to mentally prepare herself to relief the story that lead to her scars and Gibbs rescuing her. She had never really talked about the torture other than when she was admitted to the hospital and she had to disclose the reasons for the injuries she had. She was advised to speak to a psychologist, but she declined. Only two people alive knew what happened that day and she had kept it that way. Now she had agreed to share the tale and let someone else in. Since it was Gibbs that found her and saw what was happening when he rescued her, she couldn't hide from him. So she had sat with him and told him what she had been subjected to. It was Gibbs that held her as she relived the harrowing things she had been subjected to, but it was that conversation that helped her deal with what happened and helped her move on.

When they were both finished eating they got ready to leave after a stop at the bathroom. Pride made sure he had coffees to take out and he made them large as he had a feeling they were going to need them. Instead of walking hand in hand down the path leading to the beach Pride pulled Brody close to him as he held her around the waist with her head resting on his shoulder. They kept their coffees in their free hands as they walked and he placed the odd kiss to her hair as they went. It was with a very somber mood they arrived back at the beach and Pride looked around for somewhere to sit. Spotting a large open piece of sand, he led Brody off the path and towards the sand. When he stopped he let go of her and passed her his coffee. Taking the bag off his shoulder he got the picnic blanket out and spread it on the sand.

Sitting down he reached up and was passed the coffees as Brody sat down beside him. He had no idea what to say so he just sat and looked at her, waiting for her to speak. He was not going to push her to speak as he could see it was going to be a hard thing for her to relive what happened. So instead he pulled her to him and got her to sit between his legs as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. Lacing all their fingers together on her stomach he waited. After placing a kiss to her cheek, he felt her take a deep breath in and hold it before slowly exhaling it.

"Before I start I will tell you that you will be only the second living person to know what happened to me in the days I was held captive and tortured. It was agent Gibbs who found me that day and he could not only see but hear what was going on before he stormed the room, shooting dead the two men holding me. I did give the hospital a brief run down so they could treat me, but they have no idea the full extent of what happened. When I start I will not stop till I am finished as it's easier to run through it and get it over with. Any questions you have I will answer when I am done but before I start I need you to know that I do not want you to feel sorry for me or for this to change how you see me. I lived through it and it could have been so much worse had it not been for Gibbs timely arrival. I will skip straight to me being captured as the rest is still classified, So if you ready I will let you hear about the worst forty-eight hours of my life which were only topped when Emily died." Settling back against his chest and feeling him hold her a little tighter.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN-Here's chapter two and I will apologise now.**

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Settling back against his chest with his arms around her she began to tell him what had happened.

"I woke in a dark room blindfolded, gagged and lying flat on a table or some other hard surface. The blindfold wasn't thick material so I could see there was light coming from above. The room seemed to be dark and closed off with a feeling of damp and cold that hung in the air. I tried to move and found I was tied at both my wrists and ankles. Whatever I was tied with was done tight so I couldn't get loose. My legs were a lot lower than my body so I presumed they were hanging off whatever the rest of me was lay on. I did keep wriggling my hands and feet, but it only caused whatever was used to tie me cut into my skin. I lay still and listened for any sound of movement or any noise at all. The place was deathly quiet and the more I focused the more my head hurt. I dug around to see what I could remember but the more I thought the more it hurt. It was later at the hospital I found out I had been hit on the head and had a mild concussion. I have a small dent on my head where I was hit." Lifting one of his hands with hers so she could let him feel the small dent and the scar that could be felt through her hair.

She let him feel the dent and scar and she wasn't surprised when she lowered their hands back down she found his lips kissing where their hands had just been. She knew he would do that and it was a sweet gesture. She had no idea how he would respond when she continued.

"After drifting in and out of what I thought was sleep I heard noises and then voices coming from my right. As I have said I didn't know at the time that I had a concussion so was unaware of where the groggy sluggish feeling I felt was coming from. I heard a set of keys being rattled and a key turning in the lock as the door was opened. Now I have to be vague and say there were two men and they were foreign. I couldn't understand them, but one did speak broken English and he did try to communicate with me, but it wasn't enough to understand what I was saying after they removed the gag or to be honest what they were saying. The first visit from them went with no major issues as they tried to understand me and me them without success. They left and locked the door leaving me as I was when they entered, bound, gagged and blindfolded. I again drifted in and out of a cross between sleep and consciousness as I lay and waited."

"I have no idea how long it was till I was woke by the sound of keys and the door opening again. The same two men again tried to speak to me and I could tell they were both getting annoyed, angry and frustrated with the lack of communication between us. I think they thought I was doing it on purpose as they tore my blindfold away so I could finally see where I was. All I can say is I was glad I hadn't eaten in awhile as I would have been physically sick at the sight that greeted me. There were chains attached to the walls on one side of the room, both high up and low down for what I later found out were wrist and leg restraints. There was also a chair that had chains on the front legs for ankles and up against the wall behind the chair for wrists. A chair off to one side that had ropes tinged with both red and brown blood did nothing to help ease my nervous."

"After more shouting on their part, I gave up and just lay there. That was my first mistake as I found out when one of them left the room and came back with a knife. After being manhandled up from where I was lying, I found myself strung up facing inwards, literally from the chains on the wall. At first I was a little perplexed to this move until I felt the knife run down the centre of my back from the top of my shirt to the bottom. I could only feel the tip on my skin as the cold air hit my back as the two pieces of what was my shirt fell open to reveal my back. I closed my eyes at this point as I had no idea what was going to happen next. I heard what sounded like a cracking sound but couldn't see behind me. It wasn't till the pain seared through me and I tasted blood in my mouth as I bit my lip to stop from screaming I knew what they were doing. I can remember being hit four times before I passed out from a mix of pain and shock. I have no knowledge of being took down or re chained to the table or the remains of my shirt being removed."

"The next thing I remember is being roughly shook awake as I was again spoke to in a mix of foreign and really bad English. I didn't even bother to attempt to speak as I had no idea what they wanted. Since they decided that whipping me was not the answer they decided the humiliation route might work. After being roughly chained back to the wall facing inwards, I felt the blade of the knife rest at my ankle as two fingers hooked in the leg of my jeans. I felt the blade follow the seam of my jeans as it worked it's way up my leg and cut the material. They were not that bright really as they hadn't worked out I had my service belt on which as you know keeps my jeans on. Even after they cut the seam on the other leg of the jeans or what was left of them, they stayed on. I turned slightly as I felt a hand come around the front to undo the buckle of the belt and instinct kicked in over common sense and I struggled. I earned another whip across the back for that and the belt was soon removed. I was powerless as my jeans dropped away to the floor leaving me in just my underwear. Like I said they thought by stripping me it would humility me enough to talk. Even if I knew what they wanted you know yourself we stay dumb and I did. Even after I was whipped again till I passed out I stayed silent." Brody stopped long enough to take a drink of her coffee and move a little to shake the numb sensation she was getting in her ass.

"That was the beginning of what I now know was the start, they were working up to the more degrading things." Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to steady her nervous.

Feeling Pride grip her just that little bit tighter she knew she could and should continue.


	3. Chapter 3

After taking a few deep breaths in and slowly letting them out Brody continued.

"When I came to I found myself attached to the chair I had seen earlier with the ropes next to them. I now worked out how the blood stains came to be on the ropes as I struggled to free myself. They had used the ropes to tie my ankles, wrists and neck in such a way that if I moved my ankles or wrists to attempt to free them the rope around my neck grew tighter. After feeling the rope tighten when I wriggled I sat still and waited till the pain and burning in my neck passed. Since I moved everything together I tried to move just my wrists which caused the rope to tighten on my neck. The same happened when I moved just my ankles, I was stuck and they knew it. I found out that if my head dropped forward when I started to fall asleep, the rope around my neck cut in. This technique as you know was a typical stress position, I had to stay still and awake the whole time I was in it. Any movement caused the rope to tighten and choke me. So there I sat, still and awake as I could be. The problem being that my head was still fuzzy from the concussion and every once in awhile I woke choking as I had passed out."

"It was an eternity sat like that till my neighbourhood henchmen came back in and laughed at the fact that I had cuts to my ankles already and now had marks on my neck and starting on my wrists from the ropes. I was untied and strung back up to the wall to yet again be asked questions in bad English that even they struggled to say. Yet again the whip or strap of whatever it was was used and I found it was taking fewer hits to render me unconscious. I have to say that this was the worst part as hanging for hours and waking still hung was now getting a regular thing. Men came and went over time and the beatings changed from thick straps and belts to cane like objects. The thinner the object I was hit with, the worse the pain was due to the fact the area it covered was so small and precise. They worked that one out and they did away with the other whipping tools and kept the cane. I have no idea how many times I was hit or how long I was hung there all I know is it hurt every time and I passed out every time."

"Next time I woke to find I was now sat in the chair with my hands chained behind me and my legs attached to the legs of the chair I didn't even attempted to move as I knew I was stuck and if I moved my back bumped the chair and that was getting more painful as time went on. I had no knowledge of being moved as I sat for what felt like an eternity and kept falling asleep which made me wake up as my head kept dropping forward. I heard the keys turn and thought here we go again as dumb and dumber entered only this time they had brought a few toys with them. One of them was sporting a knuckle duster with spikes on it and the other had more canes with him only these had been modified. The new cane's had small nails inserted through them and what looked like glass shards attached. After again listening to the barrage of complete gibberish, I saw the fist come towards me and couldn't do a thing to stop it as it impacted with my stomach. I was winded and the pain ripped through me as I bite back the scream causing my lip to split again. I was punched a few more times and felt the warm trickle of blood run down my stomach as the spikes broke the skin. When I didn't say anything I was again chained to the wall facing outward this time so I saw what was coming. The cane came across the front of my legs and I couldn't move as it hit and the nail points and glass shards broke the skin. I swear every nerve in my body was on fire while my brain fought to stay with it. I lasted three more hits after the first one before the darkness engulfed me. The darkness was becoming a welcome friend now as it took the pain away and made me forget where I was and how much it hurt." Feeling Pride move behind her as he buried his face in her neck.

"It was becoming routine now, passing out and waking up not knowing if you had been moved or still where you remembered. When I woke this time I didn't move, I didn't want to know where I was. Everywhere now hurt and breathing was rough due to my back and front taking a beating, my ribs were passed broken and some felt like they were in bits. I didn't move when the door opened again and I still didn't move when I felt a hand run down my leg. I stayed still and screwed my eyes shut tight. I wanted this over with one way or another, I was passed pain and caring now. I just stayed still and waited for whatever came next. The problem was my brain wasn't ready to give up even when my body was. After I felt the hand travel down my leg I felt it move back up the inside and come to stop just short of my groin. I didn't move even when the hand did. I am not sure what happened next in full detail as I shut down when it got to this point. I felt the hand move and my body reacted as it jerked away. What I do recall is the pain in my thigh and the feeling of the blood running down my leg from the knife cut. I did hear the word "leave" being said, but I have no idea who by. Whatever was going to happen was halted by someone who had intervened. They left me hanging as they walked out closing the door behind them. I did notice they didn't lock it this time and I also noticed when they were in there with me they never shut the door. Not that any of this was any use to me in the state I was in. I need to stand up and move around my ass is numb now." Shuffling out of Prides vice like grip and standing up.

She walked around enough to get the blood moving again in her legs and ass before stretching out her arms and bending to move her back. She passed Pride a few times on her walkabout and she noticed he had moved and brought his knees up to his chest as he rested his arms across the top of them. He was deadly quiet and he was following her with his eyes, she could feel it. The sooner she got this over with the better. Coming to sit back down she stopped in front of him and he moved quickly so she could sit between his legs again. She had no sooner sat down when she felt his arms around her holding her to him. He returned his face to her neck and placed a gentle tender kiss to her collarbone before he stilled.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN-Last chapter.**

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Feeling the kiss to her neck she snuggled back a little and was pleased for the support she was receiving.

"I hung there till my brain gave in and I feel asleep with my head resting on my chest as best as it could. I flitted in and out of sleep, time had no meaning there. I knew if I didn't escape or was rescued soon I was dead, I couldn't keep going much longer. There wasn't a place on me that didn't hurt now and it was getting more and more difficult to breath. If I was hit again I knew the bits of my ribs would end up in my lung and that was pretty much game over. I still hung there and I found for some reason I didn't actually fear death or dying. I think due to what had happened to me I was past caring. I had been on the course they don't send you men how to deal with what could happen to me and you know something, it meant jack shit. I swear whoever wrote that course had never been through what had just nearly happened to me at that point. The problem was I knew the statics and I knew that if they could attempted to do what they had just done then they had no boundaries so I knew full well what could and probably would happen next time they came in. All I could do was wait, for what I had no idea but it was now all down to waiting. Sooner or later they would come in and all I could was wait. They came back sooner than I expected and I saw what pure evil looked like in that very moment. I knew this was it, the moment I had heard about in training and I knew once it happened there was no going back from it. I watched as whip man stepped up to me and pulled his knife out and I stared out the open door not really seeing anything at all. I felt the knife tear the material of my underwear and I just stayed still like they told us to do in training. I never fought when I was unchained from the wall and pushed back to the table as I was slammed back onto it and chained up. Now I knew why the table was the shape it was and it all made sense. I felt as my legs were chained up and the shackles caught the already bleeding and raw skin there. I looked up at the ceiling and blocked out the world as much as I could. I felt a hand touch me again and it was then I knew what was coming as I closed my eyes and thought of the one and only thing that ever made me happy, my sister. I let her face flood my mind as I prepared myself for what was coming. The next thing I heard was a loud bang shortly followed by another. I knew the sound, but I was so far passed thought I had no idea what it was. I lay still and waited for one of the men to make a move, but nothing happened." She was pulled out of her train of thought and tale as she felt herself being lifted and placed not back on the blanket but squarely in Prides lap as he buried his face into her shoulder pulling her tight against him.

She let him move her and once he was done she moved so she was comfortable and he moved to accommodate for her moving.

"As I lay still I saw a face come in my view but it wasn't one of the men I was expecting. I watched as the man stepped closer and shrugged his jacket off before covering me with it. It was as he was draping it over me I saw the badge on the pocket and it was only then I gave in. The tears fell freely and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop them. I felt the chains being undone from my ankles and then my wrists. I still didn't move till I felt I hand slide under my back and I was gently helped into as sitting position. My body screamed and protested every movement I made. I sat still and watched as the man in front of me took the jacket which had fallen away from me as I sat up and slid one of my arms into it. I felt the jacket hit the skin of my back and now the noise didn't stay locked away as I hissed at the contact of material on my ripped and shredded skin. The man took his time and was as gently as he could be as he brought the jacket round and helped me slip my other arm in before stopping in front of me and doing the zip up. I was now covered for the most part as he came to stand at the side of me and slid his arms as gently as he could under my knees and across my back as he scooped me and carried me out the room and down the hallway I had seen when the door was open. As he carried me out of there I couldn't help but slump against him out of a cross between exhaustion, pain and dehydration. I felt the air grow warm and then the sun blinded me as we came outside the building and I was placed on a waiting stretcher. I was admitted to hospital for a week for my cuts, lacerations and concussion. I was lucky there was no permanent damage from my injuries and I was checked for any diseases as a precaution. It was Gibbs who found me and rescued me and its Gibbs I owe my life to. His timing was perfect that day and I can never thank him enough for the way he handled the situation. After I was discharged and flew home it was him that meet me on landing and him who looked out for me till we were done on our mission. He didn't have to, but he did. I have a bond with Gibbs that was forged in my darkest and most depraved hour. He is the only other person who knows what happened as I had to brief him and he knew if I tried to lie. So there you have it, the tale behind the scars you asked about and a few more for you to look for next time." Finally moving so she could look at Pride as he kept his face hidden.

Giving him a nudge, Pride moved and it was then she saw his face and her heart broke when she looked at him. In all the time, they had known each other she had never seen him become emotionally until now. She saw the tears at the corner of his eyes as she reached up to cup his face in her hands. Bringing her head down to his she rested her forehead against his as she gently pressed her lips to his. When he didn't respond, she moved back, withdrawing her hands from his face as she went to stand up and move away completely. She had ruined everything now between them by telling him about her past. She was half way up when she felt herself being pulled back down and landed in a heap on the picnic blanket. Luckily it was sand and the impact was minimal as she felt her body being covered by Pride's as he lay beside her and wrapped her up in his arms. He rested his head on her shoulder with his mouth near her ear as she slid her arms around his waist and back to hold him to her. It was then she felt the tears fall to her neck and his body shake as he cried. She held him as his tears rolled down her shoulder and stopped at the edges of her bikini top.

"All this time and you never told me. Why did you hide away? Why didn't you let me in?" He asked as he kissed her neck and ear.

"King, Dwayne, look at me, please." Shifting so she could get him to move.

When he moved he still had tears on his face and his eyes were red-rimmed. Using her thumbs she brushed away the tears and bent to kiss his head.

"What happened to me was a long time ago, it is part of my past. A past that I see daily when I look at myself. Time has healed both the physical and mental wounds from them few days. I have found that talking about it only serves to remind me of the hell I suffered. I came away from that prison a different person than when I went in. The things done to me changed me, both physically and mentally. The scars I carry show me what I endured and how much I can face and still walk away from. The mental torture was harder to heal, but it made me a stronger person, a stronger woman. I took aikido up to help protect myself after that trip and that is now a skill I rely on. It took a lot for me to share with you what I went through back then, I hope now you know that will be the only time we ever have to have this conversation. When I started this little trip to hell and back I asked that you didn't see me or treat me any different when you knew my past. I will understand if you can't keep to that, but I won't lie…" As she was cut off by two fingers resting on her lips.

"Meredith, Merri, please don't think for one second I could or would think of you any differently after what you just told me. I will not pretend it didn't hurt like hell hearing what you went through back then. You are who you are because of your past, the good, the bad and the downright evil and twisted. I feel in love with you for who you are, for the person I see in front of me. At least now I know more of the events that shaped the person I know. I have no doubt there is more to you than just that one event and I hope when you're ready you will share with me more of your past. Just know that I love you and nothing has changed or will ever change that." Finally removing his fingers from her lips as he replaced them with his lips.

As he kissed her he slid his hand around her back and into her hair, letting his fingers tangle with the longer shoulder length strands that were there now. She returned the kiss, moving her hands under his vest top to feel the warm skin on his back. With his other hand, he let it run over her back, feeling the expanse of skin that was on show due to the fact all she had on was her bikini. They stayed in the position they were in even when they broke for air, just resting with their noses touching and their breaths mingling together.

"Dwayne we did come here to catch some sun and I do love you, but you have half on me covered from the sun. I am not going to tan or do much of anything with you pinning me down." Nipping on his bottom lip as she kissed him again.

"Fine I will move but only if I get to cover you again in sun cream. You know you burn easily, especially on your shoulders and chest where them freckles are." Kissing her shoulder and moving across her chest as he followed the trail of freckles.

"King stop now before your head is in my boobs." Giggling as she pushed him back off her and onto his back.

"Spoilt sport." Sitting up and getting the sun cream.

After covering her whole body in sun cream she took the bottle and returned the favour, covering his arms, shoulders and legs in the cream. The spent the rest of the afternoon either sitting talking or taking it in turns to use the other as a pillow as they lay catching the sun. When they came to pack up and leave at the end or the day, they walked to the car arm in arm. After opening the car and putting the bags in Merri found her back against the car door as she was pinned in by Prides arms. She had covered up her top half with a thin cotton shirt that she had left open at the front. It didn't actually cover anything as it was see through but he liked it. Moving his hands from the car he brought them down and rested them on her waist under the shirt.

"Thank you for today, and I don't just mean being here with you. You let me in, you let me see and hear more about you. I have said it before and will say it again, I am here and I am not going anywhere. You ever need to talk or whatever, day or night no matter what we are doing then stop me and we will. I never want to be the last in the chain to hear things." Pulling her to him and kissing her with as much energy, as much passion, as much of himself as he could.

When he moved back he held her as close to his chest as he could with her head resting on his shoulder. Holding her he realised how lucky he was, how lucky they both were. Things could have been very different once upon a time for the woman in his arms. She was lucky she survived her ordeal and he was lucky that he got to know her on more than a professional level. That was now something he would always be thankful for. Stepping back and letting her go he placed a kiss to her head and smiled.

"Let's go home." Moving so she could get in the car.

"Home sounds good to me." Smiling at the fact she had a home to go back to and someone to share it with her.


End file.
